There's alot of comments going back and forth in one of the mixed race groups I'm part of online. At first whenever convos start on whether affirmative action is a good or bad thing I could only think of myself. I mean hell yeah it's a good thing if it gives me an extra boost in areas where being "black" meant being passed over or limited. Now after having my son my views on affirmative action has expanded in an unexpected way.
DNA and racial identification.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/12/us/12genes.html? _r=1
The idea that people are using DNA results to qualify for affirmative action, college admissions and scholarships and membership in wealthy casino tribes.
A few months ago one of my sisters bf, Kevin had some very interesting things to say about Daniel and my insistence that he can claim being black. Seems Kevin thinks if Daniel doesn't look black then no one will think he is.
He felt that Daniel will never be allowed into...
- The projects...unless he's delivering food
- Basketball court…unless he’s with black friends.
- Howard University...unless he can prove his blackness by taking me along
Now, I tend to take uneducated comments like this in stride. No sense trying to explain something’s to some people. But it did make me wonder about colleges and such. I mean of course I want Daniel to go to college but it's not cheap so I can use all the help I can get right? But what happens after filling out the applications, getting all the required paperwork and Daniel has to go in for the face to face interview? Will they say he's a faker to the claim of "black-hood"? Can he claim protection under the umbrella of affirmative action? What happens
when having 50% of black blood doesn't show?
Will Daniel have to walk around with DNA evidence to not only prove that he's black but he's also entitled to all the rights that come with it...if he chooses to claim them that is. He might just claim to be Asian and get into college that way. Shyt, No problems there right?
Hmm, I only have questions with no answers...but maybe Daniel and I will have to make our own answers.
2 comments:
at: January 16, 2009 at 4:44 AM said...
Thanks for posting my button :)
I faced the same dilema when I was growing up, my father is filipino and my mom is caucasian, but I don't really look asian at all. I was generally 'accepted,' but some of the (ignorant) asian group occationally would call me out on not "really" being asian. I learned at a young age to laugh it off, and when I got older and was applying for scholarships that were offered specific to my race, I never had a problem in the end. I would walk in, and they would look at me oddly - but I explained that I was half, and heavily influenced by that aspect of my ethnicity. As an aside, on those "check your ethnicity boxes" I check other - unless of course being white and/or asian is to my advantage, lol.
at: June 21, 2011 at 4:06 PM said...
I can totally relate to this. Seems everyone considers my son Chinese, even though he's less than half Chinese (his dad is bi-racial). Admittedly he looks totally like his dad, but like you, I guess we will have to make our path his identity. I've now begun a blog of my own. Even though we are based in England I can see that some of our experiences are similar.
Post a Comment